The argument is flawed.
It is cheaper to tear down Blk 20 and Blk 21 and acquired the piece
of land that is as big as those occupied by the other 6 blocks (2
point blocks, 4 slab blocks).
Why tear down 6 blocks and not just 2 blocks?
By tearing down the 6 blocks, they need to tear down the community
club and the Buona Vista HDB branch office as well, in order to
settle the affected residents.
HDB should consider the big piece of land nearby (vacated by SERS
Blk19 and Blk1
Blk20 and Blk21, when it went back to
the drawing table last month. That piece of land is just as
exclusive. It is not fair to just solely compute the sums based
only on the land areas occupied by Blk20 and Blk21.
HDB should have revamped the Holland Drive SERS, rather than just
simply consider a replacement block currently occupied by Blk20 and
Blk21.
I'm not sure if MUP is their next best alternative. MUP had already
lost its charm. Just look across the road, they would know that Blk
2 and Blk 4 still undergoing upgrading since 2002!
FYI, the worker party is working on the ground last Sunday. Saw
them selling the hammers in Holland Drive and Ghim Moh markets. Why
not, the GRC has not been contested for 2 terms, and none of the
MPs (except Mr Teo Ho Pin) had ever contested. Moreover we have
ministers who supported the integrated resorts. And having so many
localised issues, the transport woes in Bukit Panjang, the
unhapiness over SERS and upgrading progress, I am curious to know
the support level here.
For those who had followed the story, HDB argued that all options
have been considered:
a. Build 40 storeys with 6 units per floor, or
b. Build 40 storeys with 8 units per floor, or
c. Build 40 storeys with underground carpark, or
d. Sold the piece of land to private developers.
None of the above options enable HDB to recover the sums and
compensations to Blk20 and Blk21 residents.
But shouldn't HDB consider:
a. the losses (close to 100k) per household?
b. the inconveniences suffered by the residents?
c. the intangible gains in higher selling prices for the new flats?
Having 2 old blocks spoit the sights.
As what the residents may have observed, the authorities just (fu1
yan3 liao3 shi4). Allowing the residents to go to the media, having
the HDB to return to the drawing table, having a closed door
meeting with MP, ultimately they may be disgusted by the facts that
the affected residents pressured them with media intervention.
Heeding their suggestions may only open flood gate for more other
precincts doing the same thing (what Mr Lim had mentioned).
